DailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comDailyFinance.comhttp://o.aolcdn.com/os/df/2013/img/2-dailyfinance_logo_m.pngDailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comen-usCopyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/The Doctor Is In: Why We Should Be Glad Health Reform Passedhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/26/the-doctor-is-in-why-we-should-be-glad-health-reform-passed/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/26/the-doctor-is-in-why-we-should-be-glad-health-reform-passed/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/26/the-doctor-is-in-why-we-should-be-glad-health-reform-passed/#commentsFiled under:

President Barack Obama signs into law health reform legislation that will extend health insurance coverage to millions of uninsured Americans.The richest guy I know sent me an email with an attachment titled Health Care Mythology, a rambling thesis loaded with fears and fallacies about health-care reform. I started reading the piece but had to stop after finding so much misinformation in the first several paragraphs.

Even though President Barack Obama signed the reform bill into law on Tuesday, critics will continue to make more or less the same arguments against it for a while to come. These criticisms include everything from claims the reform oversteps congressional authority to ones that the lawmakers conjured up in secret a bill that "the American people don't want."

Among the more persuasive concerns, critics say that our leaders should be focusing on creating jobs and restoring our ailing economy. And clearly, the opponents have all gotten the talking-points memo that says "keep mentioning big government" to stir up opposition to reform.

I'll admit there are some valid concerns with the legislation, starting with the fact that there aren't enough preventive or cost-cutting measures -- or curbs on the insurance industry. But to those of us on the front lines delivering health care, it's clear that unless you're exceptionally wealthy like my buddy, or have a great employer-sponsored coverage, the system isn't working. This law is the best bet to save both lives and money.

America, a Communist Country?

The most vocal, yet not necessarily most informed, detractors make comical claims that America has become a socialist or communist country. Others are calling this a fight over our inalienable rights because the government shouldn't mandate that citizens purchase health insurance. Some 14 states are now disputing this requirement.

Republicans have vowed to use any and all maneuvers to derail the new law. The GOP had tried to hold the legislation up in the Senate, but senators completed their work on the bill on Thursday, sending it back to the House for "reconciliation." Throughout the reform process, when Republicans had a chance to offer a credible alternative, the GOP suggested Band-Aid approaches that didn't cover the uninsured or offer much of anything substantial aside from malpractice reform.

There is clearly a schism in the way people think about the health reform issue, and it's mostly a divide between Democrats and Republicans. Why is this issue so polarizing? Do critics not want higher taxes? Do they think the bill is going to create too much debt? Or do they simply want Obama and his agenda to fail?

The Current System Is Failing

They can't possibly think our current system is working. Maybe the system is working for them -- or maybe they just think it is. As I said in my most recent column, sooner or later, if we kept the status quo, all of us will be hurt by higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. Even worse, we could be precluded from buying insurance altogether.

I have to admit, the current system isn't even working for my own family anymore, and as a physician for 20 years, I have access to good medical care. Since I started my own medical practice five years ago, I have searched for an affordable plan for my employees and family. Since I accept most carriers, I have a good idea of which ones to steer clear of, and we've been able to find a quality carrier. But we still have to haggle with them over coverage, as I mentioned in a previous post when my wife was sent for a breast MRI. In addition, my premiums have risen steadily every year and I pay a $5,000 deductible (my employees pay less but it is a larger proportion of their salary).

The system is also not working for senior citizens who pay a small fortune for prescription drugs. Every time you go to a pharmacy, you see older people with anguished looks on their face haggling with the pharmacist or clerk because they can't believe to have to pay so much. I had to pay out of pocket for my son's allergy medication last spring. A one month's supply set me back nearly $100!

People Are Putting Off Care

It's not working for my patients who switch jobs, get laid off, are self-employed, work for small businesses or have preexisting conditions. I see people struggling every day, putting off needed care because they have no -- or inadequate -- health care coverage.

Keep in mind that I practice medicine in Greenwich, Conn., a wealthy suburb of New York. I see patients all the time nowadays who live in million-dollar homes yet don't have health insurance. Some have been out of work and some are behind on mortgage payments. Some of these people are insured though HUSKY, the state-run Medicaid program.

One of the things I like about my practice is that I have a wildly diverse patient base -- my patients run the gamut from successful financiers and entrepreneurs to hotel maids and waitresses. Regardless of their profession, prior income or level of education, those who no longer have insurance share the same worries nowadays that an accident or illness will cause financial ruin.

I realize that there's a subset of Americans who may never change their mind about the passage of this bill. However, this is the beginning of a long journey. I am optimistic that some critics may warm to the idea of reform when they realize that they don't have to worry about going bankrupt to pay for medical care if they lose their job or want to start a small business.

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]]>health care reformhealth reformRussell Turk, M.D.Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:00:00 ESTWhy Health Care Reform Must Be Resuscitatedhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/17/the-doctor-is-in-why-health-care-reform-must-be-resuscitated/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/17/the-doctor-is-in-why-health-care-reform-must-be-resuscitated/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/17/the-doctor-is-in-why-health-care-reform-must-be-resuscitated/#commentsFiled under:

I recently visited Washington, D.C., during my children's school break. In five days, we saw more tourist sites than I did during the six years I lived there. We visited the Capitol, the Newseum, the Washington Monument, the memorials to Vietnam, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, as well as a couple of the Smithsonian museums.

What my kids didn't get to see is the true business of Washington -- the behind the scenes politicking that at its best inspired our forefathers to draft landmark documents like the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights (which we saw at the National Archives) and at its worst, render the government powerless at fixing the country's problems.

The argument that our democratic process is broken has surfaced again and again lately in part due to Congress's inability to pass health-care legislation.

A Last Resort

So now, a year after taking office, President Obama is trying a last resort. He called on Congress last week to pass his health-care reform proposal, with a simple majority vote, which could take place this week. He pointed out that this controversial tact, known as reconciliation, was used to pass welfare reform legislation, the children's health insurance program, COBRA health coverage, and most notably, both Bush tax cuts.

Obama and congressional leaders have one last chance to convince Americans and their elected officials that this issue is above politics because the consequences are so dire. There's no question the plan is complicated and probably flawed. But the benefits have not been clearly conveyed and Americans seem convinced that passing health-care reform will make the situation worse. That's probably not possible, given that things were bad off a year ago and they're getting worse by the day.

As I pointed out in the series "Reform Health Care Now," the average cost for a small-business owner to insure a worker's family is now $12,680 -- about the same as the annual income of a minimum wage worker.

Fending for Themselves

Many businesses can no longer afford the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage so more people are fending for themselves. If you're lucky enough to find a plan you're eligible for, it's inevitably expensive and/or offers inadequate coverage.

As The New York Times recently pointed out in an article entitled The Cost of Doing Nothing, doing nothing doesn't mean things will stay the same; they will get much worse. It's a self-perpetuating cycle: The more medical costs rise, the fewer patients and employers there are who can afford insurance and the higher costs continue to spiral. And the economy has made the crisis worse. Unemployment has increased the numbers of uninsured, driving up the cost of care and coverage for everyone, which in turn, adds to the rolls of uninsured.

Haven't people noticed that each year they're paying higher deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses? Or that they're being forced to switch doctors because their physician no longer accepts their insurance plan? Maybe their doctor gave up medicine altogether because he or she got fed up with being harassed y greedy insurance companies.

Failure to Explain Consequences

Of all the Democrats' mistakes -- and there have been many -- the most egregious has been not explaining what will happen if nothing is done. For a sign of what's to come, we can look to California, where Blue Cross recently announced a 39% rate hike in individual premiums. This got lots of press, but huge rate hikes are occurring elsewhere too. American families can't afford the annual 7% rises we've seen in copayments and premiums we've seen in recent years let alone a 39% rate hike!

Little by little more of my patients seem to get it. More and more have been cutting back on health care. Every week patients who have already lost their insurance call my office to postpone appointments for minor conditions or routine checkups. This has happened for well over a year. Friends call with medical problems unrelated to my specialty and ask, "Can you look at this and tell me if I need to go see a doctor?" Patients are constantly calling and asking me to prescribe medicine without seeing them. On occasion they end up with some close calls.

As I've noticed before, delaying treatment in the early stages of an illness can end up ringing up more costs and causing unnecessary suffering. As a gynecologist, I pick up about a dozen potentially life-threatening problems a year in the course of routine screening. It could be a mole, an enlarged cyst, blood in the stool, and irregular Pap result or a breast lump. In each case when detected early, these and other comparable problems are treatable, usually on an outpatient basis with minimal costs. But if left untreated they fester and can become major costly health crises that someone -- either the patient or taxpayers-- has to pay for.

But if you're well and still have insurance, maybe none of this has hit home. It will, but by then it may be too late.

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]]>health carehealth reformRussell Turk, M.D.Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:00 ESTSalvaging Health Care After the Massachusetts Upsethttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/01/23/salvaging-health-care-after-the-massachusetts-upset/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/01/23/salvaging-health-care-after-the-massachusetts-upset/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/01/23/salvaging-health-care-after-the-massachusetts-upset/#commentsFiled under: ,

As the Massachusetts Senate race between Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Scott Brown came to its dramatic conclusion on Tuesday, the press repeatedly echoed the phrase "referendum on health care." There was a good reason for this: Brown vocally positioned himself as the "41st vote" needed to defeat passage of the Senate health care bill.

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]]>Connecticuthealthcare reformMassachusettsscott brownTed kennedyRussell Turk, M.D.Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:30:00 ESTThe Doctor Is In: Why Support for Health Reform Is Crumblinghttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/12/18/the-doctor-is-in-why-support-for-heath-reform-is-dwindling/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/12/18/the-doctor-is-in-why-support-for-heath-reform-is-dwindling/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/12/18/the-doctor-is-in-why-support-for-heath-reform-is-dwindling/#commentsFiled under:

Support for President Obama's health care reform plan has hit an all-time low. Only 32% of Americans say the president's proposal is a good idea, compared with 47% who now say it's a bad idea, according to a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released on Dec. 16. In addition, 44% of those surveyed say they prefer status quo over reform.

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]]>abortionCobraColumnsdeath panelshealth care billhealth reform billjoe libermanmedicinePap smearpelvic examspresident obamaPublic OptionRussell Turk, M.D.Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:00:00 ESTThe Doctor Is In: Where new screening guidelines for women go wronghttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/12/01/the-doctor-is-in-do-screening-guidelines-mean-womens-health-ca/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/12/01/the-doctor-is-in-do-screening-guidelines-mean-womens-health-ca/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/12/01/the-doctor-is-in-do-screening-guidelines-mean-womens-health-ca/#commentsFiled under: ,

I've been inundated by questions from patients and friends over the past few weeks regarding two recent recommendations concerning cancer screenings for women. The big worry that keeps coming up is "are we rationing women's health care?" That's because first, the U.S. Preventive Task Force on Nov. 16 recommended against routine mammography for women under 50 and called for regular screenings every other year instead of annually thereafter. The group also downplayed the usefulness of conducting regular breast self-exams.

A few days later, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released new cervical cancer screening guidelines stating that women should begin having Pap tests at age 21, then every other year between 21 and 29. The previous recommendation had called for women to begin annual Pap tests a few years after their first sexual activity, or by 21, whichever comes first.

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]]>American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologistsbreast cancerbreast cancer awarenessbreast cancer preventionBreast Cancer Screeningcervical cancercervical cancer pap smearColumnshealthHPVmammogrammammographyobamaObamacareobgynPap smearU.S. Preventive Task ForceRussell Turk, M.D.Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:00:00 ESTThe Doctor Is In: Focus on prevention would help pay for health reformhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/13/the-doctor-is-in-focus-on-prevention-would-help-pay-for-health/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/13/the-doctor-is-in-focus-on-prevention-would-help-pay-for-health/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/13/the-doctor-is-in-focus-on-prevention-would-help-pay-for-health/#commentsFiled under: ,

the-doctor-is-in-focus-on-prevention-pay-for-health-reformOne of the chief complaints about the health care bill the House of Representatives passed on Saturday is that it's too expensive, with a staggering price tag of $1.1 trillion over ten years. While the House bill admirably extends coverage to an additional 36 million Americans, it's a lot to spend on a law that doesn't adequately address the spiraling costs of health care.

Under the House plan, more Americans would have health insurance coverage, which would mean they'd have greater access to medical services and would likely seek care earlier. That would save money, as would other aspects of the House and Senate bills, such as reducing Medicare payments. But if we really want to contain costs over the long haul, we have to shift our efforts toward prevention.

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]]>Columnsdietexercisehealthhealth care reformhealth insurancehealthylifestylenutritionpreventionweightweight lossweight-lossRussell Turk, M.D.Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:30:00 ESTThe Doctor Is In: Are seniors funding health care reform?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/29/the-doctor-is-in-are-seniors-funding-health-care-reform-hold-f/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/29/the-doctor-is-in-are-seniors-funding-health-care-reform-hold-f/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/29/the-doctor-is-in-are-seniors-funding-health-care-reform-hold-f/#commentsFiled under: ,

Senior citizens are worried. The insurance lobby recently began running ads claiming that seniors enrolled in private Medicare plans could lose some benefits. Last week brought news that basic Medicare premiums could rise 15 percent next year for some beneficiaries. Finally, the Senate voted, also last week, to allow Medicare payments to doctors to be reduced next year, which in turn could prompt some doctors to stop accepting Medicare, the U.S. insurance program for people 65 and older.

Given the discouraging news, should seniors be concerned that they will be forced to finance the health care overhaul and that their medical care will suffer as a result?

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]]>baby boomersdoctorshealth carehealth care reformMax Baucusmedicaremedicare advantageseniorsRussell Turk, M.D.Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:30:00 ESTThe Doctor Is In: Senate health care reform bill is a step in the right directionhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/16/the-doctor-is-in-senate-health-care-reform-bill-is-a-step-in-th/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/16/the-doctor-is-in-senate-health-care-reform-bill-is-a-step-in-th/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/16/the-doctor-is-in-senate-health-care-reform-bill-is-a-step-in-th/#commentsFiled under:

The Senate Finance Committee voted this week to pass its health care reform bill, paving the way for Congress to approve landmark legislation this fall.

While no one is saying the bill is perfect, it's clearly a step in the right direction. "Is this bill all that I would want?" asked Olympia Snowe, the lone Republican who voted for it. "Far from it. Is it all that it can be? No. But when history calls, history calls. And I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to take every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time."

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]]>Baucus billhealth care reformSenate Finance CommitteeRussell Turk, M.D.Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:40:00 ESTThe Doctor Is In: How health insurers hinder health care reformhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/07/the-doctor-is-in-taking-aim-at-health-insurance-companies-hold/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/07/the-doctor-is-in-taking-aim-at-health-insurance-companies-hold/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/07/the-doctor-is-in-taking-aim-at-health-insurance-companies-hold/#commentsFiled under:

If you haven't seen the new video produced by the political advocacy group, MoveOn.org featuring Will Ferrell, it's worth watching -- and not only because it's hilarious. While the video is a spoof intended to muster support for the ailing "public option," the hyperbole contains a grain of truth.

A group of actors make the case that "As the health care debate heats up, we need to remember who the real victims are: health insurance executives." Asks Ferrell: "Why is Obama trying to reform health care when insurance companies are doing just fine making billions of dollars in profits?"

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]]>Columnshealthhealth carehealth insurancehealth insurance costshealth insurershealth issuesRussell Turk, M.D.Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:30:00 ESTWhy we need medical malpractice reformhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/23/why-we-need-medical-malpractice-reform/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/23/why-we-need-medical-malpractice-reform/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/23/why-we-need-medical-malpractice-reform/#commentsFiled under:

A familiar face appeared on the television screen while I was watching Anderson Cooper 360º last week. An obstetrician, who had delivered the babies of a friend of mine and his wife (both physicians), was telling the story of a patient whose uterus had burst during labor -- a medical emergency that can result in death if not handled immediately and properly.

The doctor performed a hysterectomy and, after what sounded like a harrowing experience, both mother and baby were fine. The doctor described how she was so concerned for her patient's well-being that she cancelled her office appointments for several days to spend time at the patient's bedside and monitor her care.

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]]>AC 360health care reformmalpractice reformobgynRussell Turk, M.D.Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:20:00 ESTFinally, healthcare reform in plain Englishhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/12/health-care-reform-in-plain-english/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/12/health-care-reform-in-plain-english/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/12/health-care-reform-in-plain-english/#commentsFiled under:

Nine months after taking office, President Obama outlined his plan for overhauling the nation's health care system in a speech before Congress on Wednesday. It was long overdue.

Sixty-seven percent of respondents to a CBS News poll released last week said they didn't have a clear understanding of health care reform ideas because they found them too confusing. One of the reasons Americans are so puzzled is that President Obama hasn't done a good job explaining why we need reform or how his strategy will help fix the problem. His message got lost in translation.

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]]>health careRussell Turk, M.D.Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:00:00 ESTThe Doctor Is In: Distorting the facts on health carehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/08/14/the-doctor-is-in-distorting-the-facts-on-health-care/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/08/14/the-doctor-is-in-distorting-the-facts-on-health-care/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/08/14/the-doctor-is-in-distorting-the-facts-on-health-care/#commentsFiled under:

In the beginning, there was Sarah Palin. who warned that the proposed health care reform bill called for the creation of "death panels" to decide whether an elderly patient gets to live or die. Then, along came Rush Limbaugh, who referred to the bill as "a Hitler-like policy." Now, critics of the plan are barnstorming town hall style meetings during the congressional recess to protest "Obamacare."

It's one thing for angry citizens to interrupt civic meetings and another for well-known public figures to grossly distort the facts. I am reluctant to use the word "lies," but it's hard to avoid the l-word when talking about the accusations that there is a covert governmental plan to kill off the elderly. I guess the accepted word for this sort of gross misrepresentation is "spin."

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]]>Columnsdeath paneldeath panelsInsuranceLimbaughmedicareRush LimbaughSarah PalinRussell Turk, M.D.Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST10 Reasons to Reform Health Care Now: Medicare is a ticking bombhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/31/10-reasons-to-reform-health-care-now-medicare-is-a-ticking-bomb/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/31/10-reasons-to-reform-health-care-now-medicare-is-a-ticking-bomb/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/31/10-reasons-to-reform-health-care-now-medicare-is-a-ticking-bomb/#commentsFiled under:

Medicare, which insures the elderly and disabled, had 45 million beneficiaries and total expenditures of $468 billion in 2008. As baby boomers age, and more adults become eligible for Medicare, costs will expand further and some have predicted that the program will go bankrupt. But it's already in trouble.

If you really want to get a handle on how much Medicare is contributing to the rising costs of health care, Dr. Atul Gawande's thought-provoking New Yorker article is a must-read. When Gawande visited McAllen, Texas, one of the most expensive health care markets in the country, he learned that per capita spending on Medicare is $15,000, more than twice the national average. Gawande compared the costs in McAllen with those near the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota -- which were less than $7,000 per person.

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]]>ColumnsRussell Turk, M.D.Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:00:00 ESTCalculating the costs and benefits of health care reformhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/23/calculating-the-costs-and-benefits-of-health-care-reform/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/23/calculating-the-costs-and-benefits-of-health-care-reform/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/23/calculating-the-costs-and-benefits-of-health-care-reform/#commentsFiled under:

The health care debate heating up in Washington makes most people really nervous, and rightfully so. At this point, the plan is complicated and the benefits have not been clearly conveyed, which is one reason Americans seem to be less pleased with the way President Obama is handling the issue, judging by recent polls.

During last night's prime time news conference, the president made a convincing argument for spending a trillion dollars on health care reform in the midst of a severe recession, after already committing to an enormous economic stimulus package. He explained how health care reform is crucial to his plan to rejuvenate the economy, and he made it clear that "health insurance reform will not add to the deficit." While that's reassuring, many people will likely remain wary until they learn how the plan relates to their own lives.

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]]>ColumnsRussell Turk, M.D.Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:30:00 ESTReform Health Care Now: Special interest groups shouldn't call the shotshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/18/reform-health-care-now-special-interest-groups-shouldnt-call-t/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/18/reform-health-care-now-special-interest-groups-shouldnt-call-t/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/18/reform-health-care-now-special-interest-groups-shouldnt-call-t/#commentsFiled under:

Of all the problems with the current health care system, perhaps the most insidious is that the system is fueled by special interest groups, whose chief concern is their own bottom line.

There are a lot of hands in the pot: insurance companies, drug makers, hospitals, device and equipment manufacturers, and yes, doctors. They all pay lobbyists huge sums of money to convince legislators to maintain the status quo, or to draft legislation in their favor. But unless these groups agree on a solution that will overhaul our system, costs will continue to rise and the quality of care will fall.

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]]>Columnshealth care reformmedical insurancepharmaceutical companiesrobotic surgeryRussell Turk, M.D.Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:00:00 ESTReform Health Care Now: End-of-life costs are too highhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/03/reform-health-care-now-end-of-life-costs-are-too-high/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/03/reform-health-care-now-end-of-life-costs-are-too-high/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/07/03/reform-health-care-now-end-of-life-costs-are-too-high/#commentsFiled under: ,

By the time my father-in-law passed away last September, my wife and her extended family were relieved that his six months of suffering had ended. Paul's arms and hands were black and blue from numerous IV's, blood draws and various other procedures. His weight had dropped substantially, his olive-toned skin was pale, and he was bed-ridden.

Not one of his multiple medical problems alone was terminal, but the ten different conditions affecting nearly every system of his body, slowly but steadily took their toll. His physicians spent most of their time putting out the latest fire. The best hope was that they would be able to stabilize him and send him back to a nursing home. There was virtually no chance of regaining his ability to function at a high level. Over time, we hoped that he would find the strength to make it home, and there were some signs that this might happen. Then one day, things spiraled in the wrong direction, and the end came relatively quickly and painlessly.

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]]>Columnsend-of-life carehospice careliving willRussell Turk, M.D.Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:00:00 ESTIn defense of the public health planhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/25/in-defense-of-the-public-health-plan/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/25/in-defense-of-the-public-health-plan/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/25/in-defense-of-the-public-health-plan/#commentsFiled under:

House Democrats unveiled the first draft of their bill to overhaul the nation's ailing health care system last week. The most controversial proposal is the establishment of a government-run health insurance plan to compete with private health insurance plans.

Depending on whom you listen to, the plan is either a death knoll for the Americans' freedom or a savior for an out of control, costly health care system. Most likely, it is neither. Instead, it's a crucial step toward restructuring our complex, costly and ailing health care system. And it seems like the best solution -- or at least a necessary evil -- if we aim to insure all Americans and bring down costs.


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]]>ColumnsRussell Turk, M.D.Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:30:00 ESTReform Health Care Now: We need to practice preventive medicinehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/20/reform-health-care-now-we-need-to-practice-preventive-medicine/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/20/reform-health-care-now-we-need-to-practice-preventive-medicine/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/20/reform-health-care-now-we-need-to-practice-preventive-medicine/#commentsFiled under:

I know people who claim they'd rather live the good life now and drop dead a little early than eat tofu, drink green tea and live to be 90.

But what if you don't get the "good," quick and painless death from a heart attack that you imagined? Instead, choosing an unhealthy lifestyle may mean you spend your last years confined to a wheelchair in a nursing home, unable to speak because of a stroke.

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]]>ColumnsRussell Turk, M.D.Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:00:00 ESTReform Health Care Now: The malpractice liability crisis persistshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/12/reform-health-care-now-the-malpractice-liability-crisis-persist/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/12/reform-health-care-now-the-malpractice-liability-crisis-persist/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/12/reform-health-care-now-the-malpractice-liability-crisis-persist/#commentsFiled under:

To obstetricians, gynecologists and many other physicians, one of the most glaring omissions in the current health care reform debate is the failure to address the medical liability crisis. Medical liability has increased the cost of health care and forced many doctors to limit or give up their practices.

Though this has been a contentious issue for many years, will the Democrats finally address the problem, or conveniently sweep it under the rug rather than risk losing the long-standing support of the trial lawyer lobby?

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]]>ColumnsRussell Turk, M.D.Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:30:00 ESTReform Health Care Now: Insurance reimbursements make no sensehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/02/reform-health-care-now-insurance-reimbursements-make-no-sense/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/02/reform-health-care-now-insurance-reimbursements-make-no-sense/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/02/reform-health-care-now-insurance-reimbursements-make-no-sense/#commentsFiled under:

When I opened my own medical practice more than four years ago, I decided to do my own billing so I could learn how medical billing worked. Instead of hiring an office manager, I handled all disputes with the dozen or so health insurance companies whose plans I accepted as well as Medicare and the state-run Medicaid program.

It was a rude awakening. I was not new to medicine -- I had spent five years in another private practice and another six years working for Kaiser Permanente -- yet I was shocked to learn that getting reimbursed by a health insurance company is often a game of coding and standing up for what's right. And if I wanted to get reimbursed for my work, I needed to learn how the system works -- or I might not stay in business for long.

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]]>ColumnsRussell Turk, M.D.Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:45:00 EST